Move your email from a .pst file to your Microsoft 365 account. It’s recommended for larger storage and easy access across devices. .pst files on network drives can get damaged, risking data loss.
Caution: Importing big .pst files may crash Outlook. Consider manually transferring folders to avoid issues and enhance Outlook’s performance. Splitting the .pst into smaller files requires manual folder movement too.
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Solution 1: Importing a .pst File to Microsoft 365
This method allows users to effortlessly import a .pst file through the Import/Export feature. For most cases, this quickens the process and simplifies it for the user. However, if dealing with a large .pst file, manually moving the folders might be a better approach.
For Windows Outlook
- Open Outlook.
- Close any .pst files you want to import (right-click on the .pst in your folder list and select Close Outlook Data File).
- Exit Outlook to ensure no connections to the .pst files.
- Relaunch Outlook.
- Go to File > Open & Export.
- Select Import/Export.
- Choose “Import from another program or file” and click Next.
- Pick “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and proceed.
- Browse and select your .pst file, then click Open.
- Choose whether to allow, replace, or disallow duplicate items, then click Next.
- To import the entire .pst file, select the main folder with subfolders. Check “Include subfolders.” Alternatively, if importing specific folders, expand the Outlook Data File until you find the desired folder. Select it and check “Include subfolders.”
- Finally, select “Import items into the current folder” or, if importing one folder, choose “Import items into the same folder in:” and click Finish.
- The emails and folders will be visible in your selected folder. For adjustments, simply drag and drop the emails and folders to their correct locations.
For Mac Outlook
- Open Outlook (Mac).
- Select File > Import.
- Choose the file type – Outlook for Windows archive file (.pst).
- Locate the file on your computer and initiate the import.
- Click Finish once the import is complete. The imported items will show under On My Computer.
- Drag the folder(s) to your Office 365 account for storage on the O365 servers, ensuring access from anywhere.
Solution 2: Manually Transferring Folders from a .pst File to Microsoft 365
This approach enables users to manually access an Outlook Data File (.pst) and selectively import desired folders and subfolders into Microsoft 365. It’s particularly useful when importing specific contents from the .pst file.
If your .pst file isn’t already opened in Outlook:
- Go to File > Open & Export.
- Choose Open Outlook Data File.
- Locate your .pst file (either on the C: or H: drive), select it, and click Open.
Next steps:
- In your Office 365 folder list, right-click on your email address (or account name) and select New Folder.
- Name the folder (e.g., “pst folder contents”).
- Now, in your folder list, find your .pst file, right-click on the folder you want to move, and select Copy Folder.
- In the “Copy Folder” window, choose the folder in your O365 mailbox and click OK.
- Repeat these steps for each folder you wish to move.
- Once done, right-click on the .pst folder and select Close “folder name.”
For Mac Outlook users, follow the steps outlined in the “Import a .pst File to Microsoft 365” instructions to complete this process.